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Saturday, January 5, 2008

The Mean Fairy (AKA The Binky Fairy)

The Binky Fairy made a sudden and unexpected visit four weeks ago. I wanted to wait and see how things would develop before posting about it, as I 100% wholeheartedly believe in jinxing.

When Gabi lost her car binky in Target that fateful Friday afternoon, I realized the perfect opportunity had arisen. It was the only binky we could find before we left the house. Well, it was the only binky downstairs. Even though Gabi wasn't happy with that particular binky, I didn't want to go upstairs and reveal the stash that was in the binky drawer and then have to fight with Gabi on why she couldn't bring 10 of them with her.

After all the binky drama of the day, I was so ready for them to be gone, and hatched my plan while driving back home.

(And just as a disclaimer, she had her car binky in Target because she had fallen asleep in the car, and I forgot to take it out of her mouth when I lifted her little sleeping body into my arms to go into the store. )

When we got home I quickly hid the stash, showed Gabi the empty drawer, and then told her that the Binky Fairy must have come.

Me: Gabi, there isn't a single binky left in this whole house! I think that the Binky Fairy must have come.

Gabi: Why, mommy? Why would she come and take away all of my binkies?

Me: She must know that you're old enough to be a Big Girl now.

Gabi: I don't want to be a Big Girl! But, mommy? I don't think the Binky Fairy came. I think they are all just lost and we need to buy more.

Me: No, honey, I really think the Binky Fairy came.

Gabi: Well, how do you know if she came or if they're just lost?

I had to think quick, and since I'm not so good at being put on the spot, I borrowed from the Tooth Fairy.

Me: Well, if there's money under your pillow in the morning, then you know the Binky Fairy came. If there's not any money, then they're lost.

Now, don't ask why I'm so adamant about Gabi knowing the truth about Santa Claus, but I'm perfectly willing to lie about the Binky Fairy. I've been asking myself, and I don't even have an answer for me yet. I'm just going to chalk it up to a silly juxtaposition and call it a day. I'm cool like that.

When it was time for bed, I prepared myself for a very long night of Gabi screaming and trying to gnaw on random things. I had read so many articles on the best way to handle this transition, I thought I knew what to expect. We climbed in bed, said our prayers, and she rolled over and immediately went to sleep. I laid there for a few more minutes in total shock before getting up and heading downstairs. I remember pausing at the door and thinking to myself, "Did that really just happen that way?"

The next morning, I woke up to Gabi crying on her bed. When I walked in her room, she told me that she had found a dollar under her pillow.

Gabi: You tell that Binky Fairy that she is a MEAN Fairy! And that I am very mad and sad.

She also crumpled up the dollar and threw it on the floor, yelling, as she stormed off, that she didn't want it if it was from that meany Binky Fairy.

And that was pretty much it.

Sometimes she would ask me to call the Binky Fairy and ask for her to bring her binkies back. Other times she would just tell me that she missed them. But it was all done in passing, without any drama, and she didn't have any problems going to sleep at night.

It all seemed to good to be true. Surely we would go to bed one night and she would throw a fit. Or we'd be in the car and she would start screaming bloody murder for a car binky. But the transition was as smooth as could be.

I figure after four weeks, we're good to go. Gabi is alive and thriving and hasn't said a word about a binky in over a week. It might come up in therapy sessions years down the road, but if it had any affect on her mental well being I'd be surprised if it was more than very minimal. Like a simple fear of Fairies. Which isn't so bad when you consider that I no longer have to crawl around on my hands and knees looking under the furniture, kicking up dust and sneezing my way around the house.

Congrats on being free of the binkies! Ella was not interested in binkies, but she was a boobie baby forever and I have been hesitant to write in the blog about her being weaned because I know as soon as I do, she will be mauling me. Here's to hoping you haven't jinxed yourself. And hey, maybe now you won't get suckered into buying a ton of Tinkerbell stuff when she is 6!

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About Me

Navigating life with a Brasilian husband, two kids, a live-in mom, fibromyalgia, and all the crazy that comes along. I'm an Attachment Parenting mom, and into organic/green living (hey, I grew up in Oregon, you can never really leave the granola behind).